Sukhbir Badal urges deserters to rejoin SAD for ‘Punjab’s sake’, makes slew of promises

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday unveiled a slew of promises for the 2027 Assembly polls at Maghi Mela here while urging deserters to return to the party-fold for Punjab’s sake.

Sukhbir said if voted to power, his party’s government would reserve government jobs for Punjab residents and would exempt motorcyclists from road tax.

Also read: 169 missing ‘saroops’ traced during ongoing SIT probe, says Punjab CM

He also appealed to the leaders who quit the party to return, saying, “Anyone angry should return for Punjab’s sake. Future generations depend on it.”

During his address, he targeted ruling AAP and the Congress, but spared the BJP, triggering fresh speculations over the possibility of a tie-up ahead of the Assembly poll.

Sukhbir said the SAD was “committed to correcting historic wrongs”, including diversion of Punjab’s riverwaters to Rajasthan.

The SAD chief promised free tubewell connections to farmers who had been left out, underground pipelines to ensure canal water reached tail-end regions, reinstallation of removed lift pumps and land rights to those cultivating riverbed land.

He also announced free demarcation of village properties and permission to register land within ‘lal dora’ limits.

He announced “revival” of livestock fairs and interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 lakh for youth to be repaid in seven years. He also promised a skill university capable of training 50,000 students a year in partnership with industries and medical colleges in every district, half the seats reserved for poor or deserving students.

Sukhbir said gangster violence and drug trafficking would be tackled with an iron hand. “Drug traffickers won’t get bail for five years under the SAD government,” he said.

Accusing AAP and the Congress of betraying public trust, he equated the ruling party to “a new East India Company looting Punjab to fund campaigns in other states”.

Sukhbir charged the AAP with politicising the 2015 sacrilege incidents to defame the SAD. He claimed sacrilege “entered Punjab after 2014 when AAP arrived” and vowed a fresh probe.

Targeting the AAP government, Sukhbir said their leaders were using the public exchequer for their own whims and fancies.

Though the pandal was jampacked, yet the women’s presence was almost nil. Even Sukhbir’s wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia’s wife Ganieve Kaur, who is an MLA from Majitha, were not present.

SGPC to cooperate with SIT in saroops case, say Dhami

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, after paying obeisance at a gurdwara here, said the Sikh body would fully cooperate with the SIT probing the missing saroops case. He said the SGPC would abide by the directions issued by officiating Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj. He also addressed people at the SAD rally.